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Will Halloween Bring a Few Upsets in College Football?

Thoughts on Week Nine

 

Beer of the Week:  Yuengling Black and Tan. 

 

Food of the Week:  Tortellini with roasted peppers and marinara.

 

Sports Movie of the Week:  Hoosiers. 

 

Games of the Week

 

I went 9-3 in my predictions last week. However, I was a tad off on my analysis of how certain games would be played.

 

Week nine does not bring a lot of significant games, but there are just enough to make it interesting.

 

ACC

 

This is perhaps the least exciting week for ACC games.  I’ll pick the Miami vs. Wake game.  Miami is coming off a hard OT home loss to Clemson.  Wake is struggling after two straight losses.  Both teams are desperately seeking a win to stay in the conference race.  Wake will keep it close, but Miami is better and will win this game.  The U wins 35-21.

 

Big East

 

West Virginia vs. South Florida.  Memo to the Bulls… college football is played in October too.  Every season the Bulls rise up in September only to crash hard in October.  WVU is one of those teams quietly flying under the radar right now.  I like the Mountaineers to stay on pace with Pitt and Cincinnati atop the conference standings.  WVU wins 34-24.

 

Big Ten

 

Another unexciting week in the Big Ten, but it is likely a bowl positioning week.  The top game is Iowa vs. Indiana.  Don’t laugh.  Iowa is a strong team, but the Hawkeyes have tended to play at the level of their opponents all season.  Indiana generally plays well against Iowa.  I also think Iowa has played much better on the road than at home this season.  Iowa wins 27-17.

 

Big 12

 

Finally a game worth mentioning.  Texas at Oklahoma State.  Alright Cowboys, we continue to hear about your steady rise in the Big 12 South.  Are you ready to be relevant, or will you drop like a lead balloon again?  Every time you seem to get Texas in the right position, you snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.  This year will be no different.  Texas wins 42-28.  Cowboys go back to the back to the middle of the pack.

 

PAC 10

 

The PAC 10 champion will likely be crowned this weekend as USC travels to Eugene to take on Oregon.  The Ducks looked lost in the season opener against Boise State, but they have quietly won six straight.  Can the Ducks dethrone the Trojans from PAC 10 supremacy?  This is the toughest game to call this week.  I want to like the Ducks at home.  USC has struggled a little on the road and Autzen is always a tough stadium.  I just think in the end, USC pulls out the win, 27-24.

 

SEC

 

The annual Cocktail party has arrived.  Florida vs. Georgia.  Two years ago, Georgia throttled Florida.  Florida retuned the favor last year.  Georgia is not a good team this season, but Florida has been struggling due to injuries and an unproductive offense. This is usually the type of game where Tebow shines.  He’ll need to protect the ball better though.  Florida wins 28-17. 

3.5 Questions

 

Will the BCS fail the FBS community once again?

 

October usually kills the hopes and dreams of many teams, but not this year.  Of course this can change on Halloween, but the Bowl Championship Series system is looking vulnerable once again.

 

Seven teams remain unbeaten after eight weeks.  Alabama, Boise State, Cincinnati, Florida, Iowa, TCU and Texas.  Only six can finish the season unbeaten since Bama and Florida would have to play each other in the SEC Championship game if they finish the regular season undefeated.  What will happen if six teams did go undefeated?

 

The truth is not much would happen.   Of course four teams would technically get cheated out of chance to play for a championship, but the college presidents and the NCAA don’t really care about these teams. They’ll continue arguing the BCS works well by getting the top two teams in the title game, and all is else is just an unfortunate consequence.  If integrity is a value that universities teach, give them a big, fat F on this assignment.

 

The likely scenario is three teams, maybe four end up undefeated.  Being left out would definitely be an injustice for the teams and the communities that support these teams. 

 

Is Iowa really good, or just opportunistic? 

 

Iowa’s a fundamentally sound team which makes them a strong team.  Statistically, the Hawkeyes are 18^th in total defense in the FBS, 6^th in turnover margin, 3^rd in yards penalized and 46^th in 3^rd down conversion percentage.  Offensively, the Hawkeyes are 87^th which is not good, but their road schedule thus far -  Pa St, Wisky and Mich St might have had an impact on this stat.  OSU will present a huge challenge at the Shoe on Nov 14^th, but don’t be surprised to see the Hawkeyes run the table.

 

Is the SEC official conspiracy real?

 

In the radio and TV world, there has been a lot of chatter around the SEC’s officiating, especially for Florida and Alabama games.  Accusations are flying around the airwaves about the SEC rigging conference play to make sure Bama and Florida make the SEC title game, and subsequently secure a national championship bid and a second BCS bowl bid. 

 

These accusations are nonsense.  First of all, referees make mistakes in big games.  It happens.  You cannot just isolate Florida and Bama games.  Second, the SEC would likely get a team in the title game and another BCS bowl slot without fixing the system.  The top two teams in the SEC are usually two of the top five teams in the country anyway.  Finally, Bama and Florida can likely survive a loss and still make the title game. 

 

I just don’t buy into the officiating conspiracy garbage being thrown around the media.  Unless theses two teams completely collapse, they’ll play for the conference championship and the winner gets a ticket to Pasadena to play for the championship.  End of discussion.

Beer and Football - nothing Better

Sales tip of the Day:  Learn to ask great questions.  All great salespeople know how to ask the smart questions that establish rapport and help build a solid business relationship.  Practice, Practice, Practice. 

 

Beer of the Week:  Chimay Trappist Ale.  Monks know how to brew some good beer.

 

I am missing a fantastic annual birthday party tonight where the main course is always Brats and Kraut.  Bummer.  If you want good comfort food, go find the best country pork ribs you can find, rub them with dry mustard, black pepper, salt, brown sugar and a little whiskey.  Slow cook them with some kraut.  Enjoy. 

 

 

Games of the Week

 

ACC

 

The ACC is the wackiest FBS conference.  Virginia’s the only undefeated team in conference play, Florida State is 1-3, the entire Atlantic Division has 2 or 3 conference losses, Miami throttled Ga Tech, Va Tech throttled Miami and Ga Tech beat Va Tech.  No team wants to step up and win the ACC.  Amazing. 

 

Georgia Tech vs. Virginia.  Tech secured the big win over the Hokies last weekend.  Can they give Virginia their first conference loss?  I’m not sold on the Cavs.  Their wins are against mediocre teams.  Tech should roll in this game, 31-14.

 

Big East

 

This is movement weekend in the Big East.  Four of the top five teams play each other.  Pitt squares off against South Florida and UConn plays West Virginia.  The Pitt/S.Fla game is probably the better game, but the more interesting story is how the Huskies will play after dealing with Jasper Howard’s death last Saturday.  WVU owns the series and should win a close game, 27-21.

 

Big Ten

 

After OSU’s collapse at Purdue last weekend, the Iowa Hawkeyes sit alone the conference standings.  This week, the Hawkeyes travel to Michigan State to battle a much improved Spartan team.  MSU is 3-1 in the Big Ten and looking to stay in the race for the conference championship.  This will be a close game, but I like Iowa to squeak out the win, 24-20.

 

Pa St travels to Michigan.  Penn State never plays well at the Big House, but the Lions need this win to stay in the Big Ten race.  Tough game to call.  I’ll call for the mild upset.  Wolverines win a shootout, 38-35. 

 

Big 12

 

After beating Oklahoma last weekend in a very ugly game, Texas is in the driver’s seat for the championship.  Don’t blow it is the motto.  The Longhorns first test is at Missouri.  The Tigers have a pretty good team, but should not pose any real threat to Texas.  Game is close, but Texas opens up a comfortable lead late in the 3^rd quarter.  Texas 38-18.

 

Oklahoma travels to Lawrence to take on the Kansas Jayhawks.  Kansas was rolling until last weekend when the Colorado Buffaloes pulled the upset.  I think the Jayhawks were looking ahead to this game.  Is it possible that Oklahoma, a legitimate preseason BCS championship contender, could have four losses midway through the 09 season?  Losing Bradford hurts, but this team should be better.  Oklahoma wins a very close game, 24-21.

 

PAC 10

 

Oregon sits alone at the top of the PAC 10 standings.  How long will they stay there?  Not long.  Oregon travels to Washington this week.  Can the Huskies catch the Ducks looking ahead to USC next week?  Yes.  UW wins a surprisingly low scoring game.  21-17. 

 

USC’s 2008 championship hopes went down the drain in a loss to Oregon State.  Think Pete Carroll has been reminding the Trojans all week about that devastating loss?  Of course.  USC might be looking ahead to the Oregon game too so don’t expect a blow out.  Trojans win 27-17. 

 

SEC

 

I’m tempted to say the Alabama vs. Tennessee game is the game of the week in the SEC, but I think the LSU vs. Auburn game has more ramifications in the SEC West race.  The loser is essentially out of contention; though the way the Bama’s playing, both teams might already be out of the race.  The last five LSU/Auburn games have been decided by a total of 19 points.  The game is in Death Valley so I’ll give the Bayou Tigers the edge, but this will be another close game,17-14. 

 

Besides Auburn, Bama’s closest mortal enemy is Tennessee.  These two schools hate each other, and that is good for the fans.  The Tide spanked the Vols last year in Knoxville.  Expect more of the same this year.  The Tide rolls 28-10. 

 

Non-Conference

 

TCU vs BYU.  If TCU wants to make it to a BCS bowl game, they have to beat BYU in Provo.  Both teams are playing well.  This will be a mild upset.  BYU wins, 31-27. 

 

The Catholic Bowl.  ND vs. BC.  Don’t be fooled.  The series is evenly split, and BC’s won six straight.  The Irish are playing at home and should get a fairly comfortable win, 35-21. 

OSU's Offense

 

News around Columbus is swirling about whether Ohio State’s offense be better with Terrelle Pryor playing wide receiver?  The quick answer is no.  OSU does not have an effective replacement at this point to plug in at QB.  Unfortunately, the Buckeye community is now painfully aware that Pryor’s success as a freshman was largely based on Robiskie, Hartline and Wells being threats. If one of the principle goals of coaching is to place your talent in the right positions to maximize your team’s success, Tressel should consider developing Pryor as a wide receiver.  Here’s why:

 

I might be with the pack on this one, but 18 games into a career should be producing better performances.  Pryor is the leader of an offense that is currently ranked 91^st in FBS in total yards per game.  The offense should not be ranked this low, especially when the defenses they’ve faced are 9^th, 31^st, 38^th, 71^st, 82^nd, 105^th and 109^th in the FBS.  Minnesota is 92^nd – can we expect better?

 

Two series against Purdue provide perfect insight into why a change on offense is necessary.  The first was the debacle of getting the ball on Purdue’s 31 yard line and the offense not only loses yardage, but turns the ball over.  The second was the 1^st and 10 from the Purdue one in the fourth quarter.  Down 23-7, a TD shifts the momentum to OSU and probably forces Purdue to press a little to score again.  With a 6’6” QB, three runs over Brewter’s back would have ensured a TD.  OSU settled for a field goal.  Instead of a momentum shift, Purdue got the victory by forcing the field goal. 

 

The mistakes made against Purdue are made by inferior teams with inferior coaching – not a common occurrence under Tressel.  If Tressel deserved credit for not losing the games he should win, then he deserves a lot of blame when he does lose these types of games.  Tressel’s offensively philosophy is to not put the defense in bad positions.  I would say this offense is failing miserably, and a change is warranted.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I think Tressel is one of the best coaches in the business.  He deserves the right to steer his team how he wants.  I just think his coaching philosophy works best when the offense is serviceable.  Sadly, it is not. 

 

In 2007, OSU was 53^rd in total offense.  In 2008, 69^th.  I already mentioned that OSU is currently 91^st.  Three seasons is called a trend, but I would argue it is systemic. From 04-06, OSU finished 90^th, 30^th and 29^th in total offense. 

 

By comparison, from 2006-2008, Florida’s offense finished 10^th, 16^th and 9^th.  USC’s finished 27^th, 27^th and 13^th.  Texas’ finished 26^th, 13^th and 11^th.  Perhaps it is worth mentioning that OSU is 1-4 against these teams since 05. 

 

Is having a good, effective offense not a reasonable goal?  How many championships have been potentially lost by not building a strong offense to go along with the good defenses?  I have seen a change on the defensive side of the ball in terms of recruiting to fit a more modern style of defensive play.  Is this not possible on the other side of the ball?

 

Tressel’s been called a perfectionist.  Great.  I'm sorry to say that I see this characteristic more frequently from Meyer, Saban and Carroll than Tressel.  Maybe I am crazy, but the players appear to be having fun playing for these coaches.  I have not seen that enthusiasm from OSU’s players in a long time, and yet my passion for excellence from the Buckeyes burns stronger. 

 

Some might question my Buckeye loyalty.  Nothing is further from the truth.  I always bleed Scarlet and Gray.  The businessman in me just expects a better product than we’re receiving. 

The Dude Abides

A few important questions and the conference/non-conference games of the week.

 

Should they make a sequel to the Big Lebowski?  The Dude needs a second act.  I might just write it.  This is the most under rated film of all time. 

 

Who was the best rock n roll drummer of all time?  No debate here.  Keith Moon. 

 

Should Obama get the trifecta this year – Nobel, Heisman and Oscar?  I’m thinking yes. 

 

Are the Bearcats the best college football team in Ohio?  All I can say is I am glad they are not on OSU’s schedule this season. 

 

Is anyone else tired of Tim Tebow?  Enough already.  There are a dozen better quarterbacks in the FBS with inferior supporting casts that get a lot more done.  Unless he changes positions, his football career ends at Florida.

 

Now on to the games of the week.

 

ACC

 

Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech.  Maybe the engineering geeks can figure out a way to predict the outcome.  I’m not sold on Ga Tech’s offensive system or their defense.  The Jackets keep it close, but Va Tech wins by 14.  31-17.

 

Big East

 

Game was last night.  Cinci throttled South Florida.  This win was good, but not stellar.  S. Fla always plays great in September and falters in October.  Bearcats are a legitimate threat to run the table though.

 

Big Ten

 

Iowa at Wisconsin.  Iowa takes their 6-0 record on the road to Camp Randall. Wisky is coming off a hard loss to the Buckeyes where they pretty much owned every statistic but the score.  Can they recover and deliver a win for the home crowd?  Yes.  Very close game.  Badgers by 4.  35-31.

 

Big 12

 

Red River Shootout.  Texas vs. Oklahoma.  While the luster might be off this game just a tad since the Sooners have two losses already, the pressure is on Texas to keep their BCS championship hopes alive.  Texas wins an ugly game 28-24.

 

PAC 10

 

UCLA vs Cal.  The loser of this game will tank the rest of the season.  UCLA was broken at Oregon last week and Cal is trying to recover from two humiliating defeats.  The Bruins are at home so I’ll take them.  24-17.

 

SEC

 

Alabama vs South Carolina.  The Tide is rolling. The Gamecocks look good, but this is their first legitimate test.  It is homecoming at Bama, and I think they roll.  35-7.

 

Non-Conference

 

USC vs. Notre Dame.  The Trojans own the Irish right now and thoroughly pummeled them last year 38-3 in the Coliseum.  I think the Irish are over rated.  USC wins by 17. 

 

Let’s hear it for the Dude. 

Am I Obsessed?

I was approached the other day by a colleague who asked, ‘Why are you so obsessed with college football?” 

 

Of course I laughed.  I did not know this person well.  I thought I’ll never be able to convince someone who does not like football that college football actually makes society better or that my obsession is actually good for humanity. 

 

My initial thought was to tell her that it is the competition or OSU beating Michigan, but all of those reasons seemed insufficient – though they are important.  My obsession is not really an obsession at all.  Instead, my love is more of an identity.  Each experience from childhood to present has contributed to my identity. 

 

At the core is certainly my love of the Buckeyes, but each year I become more of a student of the game itself.  Knowing the history behind the traditions, the rivalries, the communities that support the schools and the politics involved in the game has given me the freedom to enjoy the sport absent of my affinity for OSU – which is borderline crazy.

 

About midway through my rambling, she had a weird look on her face.  I asked what was so peculiar?  She said she grew up in Michigan and liked football too.  She just wanted to make sure I wasn’t a bandwagon fan. 

 

Being the smart ass that I am, I asked her, “Why in the world would you love college football when you support such an awful team?”  Good luck Nov 21^st.  Maybe my obsession is rooted in winning. 

Five Thoughts Midway Through the 2009 Season

Five thoughts midway into the 2009 season.

 

1.  Is it my imagination, or is the year of the defense?  After six weeks, I have not watched an elite offense.  At least not out of some of the top ranked teams.  Florida, Bama, USC, OSU, Texas, Va Tech – functional, but hardly impressive.

 

I am not complaining.  I like good defensive football.  I’m just surprised.  With Tebow, McCoy, Bradford and many other offensive stars back from last season, I thought this would be the year of the offense. 

 

2.  Tennessee and LSU have shown the path to beating Florida, does anyone have the horses to execute the plan?  I think someone will and it might not be Bama.  The team that can control the line of scrimmage and run the ball effectively (big ifs), should be able to do this.  USC comes to mind. 

 

3.  Is Virginia Tech improved, or has the competition been weaker?  I think a little of both.  The Hokies throttled the U and BC, but struggled a bit with Duke and Nebraska.  Tech is playing well and the running game is getting better, but against a strong defense, the Hokies will struggle.

 

4.  Is Iowa the best team in the Big Ten?  No.  The Hawkeyes are a solid team, but they play at Wisky and Michigan State the next two weeks.  I think they drop one, maybe even both games. 

 

5.  There are too many mediocre teams in every conference that should have been better.  Here’s the list:

 

ACC

 

NC

NC State

Fla St

 

Big East

 

Pitt

Rutgers

 

Big Ten

 

Northwestern

Minnesota

Michigan State

 

Big 12

 

Texas Tech

Texas A&M

Baylor

 

SEC

 

Ol Miss

Ga

TN

 

PAC 10

 

Oreg St

Zona

UCLA

SEC, Surprises, Week Six Thoughts and Tebow

Last week I went 4-4 in games of the week.  Not great, but could be a lot of worse.  As I thought, October has already brought some surprises.  Oklahoma lost again which essentially kicks them out of the national title race.  Michigan lost for the first time this season which is not that surprising, but losing to their little brother in back to back seasons since the mid 60’s is surprising.  Florida State is officially the fourth best team in Florida .  As strange as this may seem, it has almost been a decade since the Seminoles were relevant.  The grumblings in Tallahassee have started, but I’m in the camp that believes Bowden has earned the right to coach as long as he wants. 

This week brings some critical conference games.  The games of the week are:

ACC

Virginia Tech vs. Boston College .  Can Beamer hypnotize his team into thinking this is the ACC conference championship game instead of regular season match up?  BC has beaten Va Tech three straight times in the regular season, but the Hokies have returned the favor in the ACC title game the last two years.  This weekend is homecoming in Blacksburg so I think the Hokies win, but it might be closer than expected.  31-21. 

Big East

The real game of the week is next Thursday when South Florida and Cincinnati collide. For this weekend, the best match up is Pittsburgh vs. Connecticut .  Both teams are pretty good and the winner will likely have an outside chance at the Big East title.  Pitt wins a low scoring game 17-14. 

At this point, is there another conference with more balance than the Big East?  Rutgers, Uconn, South Fla , Cinci, WVA, Pitt are all pretty good.  Even the Cuse is better.  Louisville is terrible.  This will be a good race to watch. 

Big 10

Wisconsin vs. Ohio State .  The Badgers have been quietly going about their business this year.  Their solid running game coupled with a good defense is making the Badgers a tough team.  Wisky’s secondary is suspect, and their tendency to let off the pedal could hurt them though.  The Buckeyes appear to have recovered from the loss to USC in week two, but their opponents the last three weeks have been awful.  If the defense can stop the run and Pryor can manage a balanced attack with no turnovers, Ohio State should get a nice victory.  Ohio State wins 28-24. 

The Michigan vs. Iowa game is always a good one.  Iowa is undefeated, but has played pretty much to the level of their competition.  Michigan plays well in spurts and then awful in other stretches.  I think both teams are overrated.  This game should settle fourth place in the Big 10.  Michigan gets the mild upset and wins on the road, 27-18. 

Big 12

The big game was last night between Nebraska and Missouri .  For three quarters, this was a sloppy game being played in sloppy weather.  Missou had the game in control heading into the fourth quarter until the Cornhuskers rallied from 12 down to score 27 unanswered points.  Bo Pelini is doing a great job.  Nebraska ’s defense is strong.  I like the Huskers to win the North.

Oklahoma State vs. Texas A&M.  The loser of this game will likely finish fourth in the Big 12 South.  OSU is coming off a bye week, but how will the Cowboys cope with the shocking suspension of Dez Bryant for lying to the NCAA?  A&M is coming off a huge loss to Arkansas .  The game is in College Station , but the Aggies still look like an average team.  I like OSU to win a close game 27-21.

PAC 10

This is bowl positioning week in the PAC 10.  Zona plays UW, Stanford plays Oreg St and Oreg plays UCLA.  The Stanford vs OSU game will likely be the best one.  Harbaugh has the Cardinal playing well, but the game is at OSU.  This should be a typical PAC 10 shootout.  I’m calling for the mild upset, OSU wins 38-31.

SEC

A huge weekend in the SEC.  Obviously the key game is Florida at LSU, but Bama plays Ol Miss, Auburn goes to Arkansas , Georgia plays Tennessee and even the SC vs KY game should be interesting.  We’ll know a lot about the SEC after this weekend.  I like Bama, Auburn , GA and KY. 

In the big game, Florida is the reigning champion with an all world line up led by Tim Tebow.  The only problem is Tebow is coming off a concussion sustained two weeks ago in the Kentucky game.  Will he play? Should he play?  I think Meyer sits Tebow.  John Brantley is a capable back up and should be able to manage this game for the Gators.

We all know that LSU rarely lose night games at home in Death Valley .  The Tigers always seem to find a way to win.  Can they pull the huge upset this year though?  Doubtful.  I think LSU is good and I think this game means more to the Tigers than the Gators, but I don’t feel they are strong enough on the defensive line to win.  Florida wins 31-17. 

A side note.  Even if Florida losses this game, they’ll play for the SEC title and a likely berth into the national championship.  The Gators will cruise through the rest of the games (sorry Georgia ). This is why I think Meyer should not play Tebow, is better off letting him have an additional week to heal from the hit he sustained. 

Possible Upsets this Week

LSU over Fla

Michigan over Iowa

Maryland over Wake

Arkansas over Auburn

Division III, Top Ten and Heisman Leaders

In light of the upcoming game between Mt. Union Purple Raiders and the Capital Crusaders this Saturday, I think the time is right to give some recognition to Division III programs.  The players at these schools do not get scholarships, and quite often work just as hard as the athletes in FBS, FCS, Division II and NAIA.  I should note that I am partial to the Div III level because I went to Capital.

 

I have heard too frequently that the Division III skill level is not good.  In comparison, the overall skill level is not as deep as the other divisions; this hardly means the cupboard is bare.  Current NFL players London Fletcher and Pierre Garcon both played at Division III programs (John Carroll and Mt. Union ). There about ten other players on NFL rosters in 2009.

 

I’ve also heard that the games are less enjoyable to watch.  I wonder if any of the critics have actually watched a game.   Anyone catch the Trinity lateral play over Milsaps a couple of seasons ago?  This might be a top five play in college football history.  Furthermore, Mt. Union, Wisconsin Whitewater, Linfield, Mary Hardin Baylor, Wartburg, St. Johns are all consistently good and fun to watch.  If you get a chance, go watch a game.

 

Weekly Top Ten

 

Florida.  Until the defending champs lose, they get the top spot.

Texas.  Colt McCoy and Co. lead a balanced attack and the defense is pretty good. 

Alabama.  Strong defense, serviceable offense.  This should be enough to reach the Iron Bowl undefeated.

USC.  Despite the loss at Washington, USC is a top five team.  Tiger fans might be upset, but USC is more balances right now.

LSU.  No losses earns the Tigers a #5 ranking, but I have a feeling the wheels are going to fall off this weekend. 

Boise State.  This team is legitimate.  The Broncos will likely go undefeated and earn another BCS bowl bid.

Cincinnati.  The game at South Fla will prove a lot, but the Bearcats have a few quality wins that give them a nod right now.

Auburn.  Chizik and Malzahn are getting the last laugh.  Arkansas is a nemesis so a win there on Saturday will be huge.

Ohio State.  Defense makes this team legitimate.  I want to see how the offense performs against a legitimate defense before I endorse the team for a top five ranking.

Virginia Tech.  Defense and special teams will carry the Hokies to their third straight ACC title.

 

Heisman Hopefuls

 

Tim Tebow.  If Tebow plays in the LSU game and wins, Archie Griffin’s status as the only two time Heisman winner is in serious jeopardy. 

Colt McCoy.  I think McCoy will heat up in October and finish the season as the favorite. 

Tony Pike.  Darkhorse candidate is looking good right now.  However, the Bearcats always seem to drop a weird game.  A loss would kill Pike’s chances.

Week Five Games of the Week

So I am watching Curb Your Enthusiasm last night, which I think is hilarious, and the topic of the show is getting a nice gift that rhymes with hoe mob while driving down the road.  LD thinks getting the gift is dangerous and the rest of the cast thinks the gift is divine.  I happen to side with the rest of the cast on this one.  Anyway, I also happened to catch David Letterman’s announcement of having indiscretions with CBS staff members and thought as a race car enthusiast, Letterman is probably in favor of the hoe mob while driving. All of this has nothing to do with college football except October always brings us new surprises.  Thanks Dave.

 

Here are my conference games of the week.

 

 

ACC

 

I’ll discuss the OK/Miami game in the Big 12 section.  In ACC play, the game of the week is Wake vs NC State.  After an opening season loss to South Carolina, the Wolfpack have rebounded to win three straight.  Last week’s win over Pitt probably showed that NC State is good team.  Wake has been up and down losing to Baylor and BC, but beating Stanford.  Which team shows up tomorrow?  Not sure.  Wake is the home team and the game should be close.  I still like NC State.

 

Big East

 

Slim pickens in the Big East this week so I’ll go with South Florida vs. Syracuse.  South Florida is undefeated and is coming off a mild upset win over Florida State.  Syracuse is an improved team sitting at 2-2 under first year HC Doug Marrone.  The Bulls have shown a tendency to cool off in October.  This game will be close, but I like SF to get the win.  Don’t be shocked if Cuse pulls the upset.

 

Big Ten

 

Michigan vs. Michigan State.  After losing three in a row, the Spartans are lost right now.  Michigan barely escaped Indiana last Saturday.  Surprisingly, Michigan State is favored in the game.  Michigan wins a big road game by two TD’s.

 

Other game to watch:  Minnesota vs. Wisconsin.  The NCAA’s longest rivalry standing at 116 games, and they play for the Paul Bunyan Axe. Wisky will keep the Axe for the sixth year in a row. 

 

Big 12

 

Oklahoma vs. Miami.  The Sooners will be playing without Sam Bradford.  The U is licking their wounds after the beatdown by Virginia Tech last Saturday.  I said last week that we should hold judgment on the U until they played the Sooners.  Their loss last week exposed the Canes weaknesses, and the Sooners are going to pound them even more.  Sooners big. 

 

PAC 10

 

USC vs. Cal.  Cal ruined a potentially great season with the embarrassing loss against Oregon last week.  USC’s week has been difficult with the weight lifting accident to Stefon Johnson that almost cost him his life.  Thankfully, Johnson will recover.  Cal is at home, but the hangover from last week’s loss carries over into this game.  USC wins by 14. 

 

SEC

 

Georgia vs. LSU.  This game is huge.  LSU is undefeated, ranked #4, but there are serious questions about the team based on last week’s narrow win over Mississippi State.  Georgia also escaped against Arizona State.  The Bulldogs cannot afford another loss and LSU would like to be undefeated going into the Florida game next week.  Tough call, but I think Georgia gets a close victory.

 

Other game to watch:  Auburn vs. Tennessee.  Auburn is undefeated under first year HC Gene Chizik.  Much of Auburn’s improvement can be traced to new OC Gus Malzahn.  The Tigers are #3 in total offense.  This is saying a lot considering Auburn was dreadful on offense in 2008.  Auburn goes into Rocky Top and gets the victory.  The Orange faithful will be grumbling on Sunday morning.

 

That's the list this week.